P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Carlos Sainz has delivered a word of warning to both George Russell and Mercedes, with Max Verstappen heavily linked to the team.
Carlos Sainz has warned George Russell that his performance may suffer due to uncertainty about his future with Mercedes. Russell was reminded of Sainz’s experience at Ferrari, where he thrived despite knowing he would be replaced by Lewis Hamilton. Sainz lost his seat due to Hamilton’s arrival, not Ferrari’s desire to let him go. Russell faces a similar situation if Toto Wolff brings Max Verstappen to Mercedes at his expense. Sainz acknowledged the impact of such uncertainty on a driver’s performance, emphasizing the surrounding “noise” in their environment. Despite the challenges, both Sainz and Russell have shown that strong seasons are still possible amid uncertainty about their future in the team. However, the noise does affect the driver, the team, and everyone involved in the process.
